


Serpents

by tomlenson



Category: AU - Fandom, Larry Stylinson - Fandom, One Direction, Zerrie - Fandom
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, BoyxBoy, Bullied Louis, Bullying, Desperate Harry, Don't Like Don't Read, F/M, Friends to Lovers, Gay Smut, GirlxBoy, M/M, One direction AU, Popular Harry, Soulmates, larry stylinson - Freeform, loner louis, louis moves to harry's school to rescape the bullying from his other one, one direction - Freeform, paper airplane necklace, paper airplane tattoo, paper airplanes, perrie befriends louis, reserved louis, verbal harrassment, zerrie
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-12-15
Updated: 2014-07-16
Packaged: 2018-01-04 15:22:54
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 4,413
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1082611
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tomlenson/pseuds/tomlenson
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“Serpents in my mind, trying to forgive your crimes.  Everyone changes, in time; I hope he changes this time.”</p><p>(High school AU; Louis was left with nothing but horrible names when Harry moved to another school.  A couple years later, Louis is forced to move when the bullying becomes too much, and maybe things might be getting better – maybe)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> title from Serpents by Sharon Van Etten
> 
> disclaimer: i have not, nor have i ever associated with someone who is or someone who knows one direction. this work is purely fan fiction, therefore, i can write what i want.
> 
> if you prefer things to be long, press ENTIRE WORK and pretend it's a one shot.
> 
> Enjoy!

_"Close in on my black eye, i feel safe at time.  Certain emblems tell me it's time."_

Chapter one

  Louis cried out as he was shoved harshly to the ground, his head banging hard against the tiled floor.  He could hardly see anything, his vision blurred with black dots and his glasses shattered across the ground.  He could faintly feel blood running down his face where his skin broke and his entire body just feeling numb.  This was a daily occurrence, Louis fearing his life as he steps onto the school property.  The school has a _no violence_ policy which is a load of bullshit because most of Louis' high school career he has been sent to the hospital more times than he can count on two hands.  But the kids are smart, only attacking Louis at the right moments.  Louis' mother worries to no extent, but he just keeps telling her that his friends and he were fooling around too close to the stairs or just a friendly football accident.

  Today though, today is different for as Louis' body connects with the ground, screaming is erupting around him and gentle hands are roaming his body and lifting his head from the ground.  He could not comprehend anything for his head hurt too much and his vision is blurring.  He could not _do_ anything, his body shutting down and lying absolutely limp in someone's arms.

  Louis could feel himself being lifted and carried to some place where the lights shined bright and the noises became muffled and his body is being lowered onto a soft bed.  Hushed voices sounded around him for a little while before he is being picked back up and placed onto another bed that rolled him from the quiet room and into the back of a vehicle.

 He could barely hear the people asking him questions and talking over him, but he was too far gone for anything to matter.  Louis just wanted to die, he hated his life, hated when he woke up each morning and just wished the previous night to die in his sleep - peacefully and painlessly.  He could die in any way really; sometimes he just wished that the kids beat him hard enough that he would not wake up afterwards.

+++

  Louis is woken to the sound of a consistent beeping and the sound of a woman weeping beside him.  His head is pounding and his body feels numb, and god, Louis knew he is not dead, but he still wishes he might have a chance still.

  he groans and tries to move a little, but pain shoots through his entire body and he cries out in a desperate need of relief, but the monitor beside him starts beeping a little faster and soon enough a loud noise of people herding into the room comes and hands and back to touching him.

  "Louis?" he hears a melodic voice that he recognizes too well.

  He grunts in response which has the woman crying out in glee and he could feel a warm wetness along his shoulder.

+++

  Louis is currently in his room propped up a little with pillows to allow him a well healing time for his broken ribs.  His mother is downstairs talking with his schools headmaster and a pair of policemen.  So at the moment, he is just waiting for his mum to come upstairs and deliver him the outcome of what is going to happen.

  While Louis was in the hospital, policemen and the headmaster and representatives of the school board had come in and talked with him, asking him questions about what has been going on at the school and why he was the victim in each attack.

  Louis tries his best to answer, he really did, but it was much harder to talk about than he expected.  He knew these could kids attacked him because of his preference in boys and that he is an _odd_ kind that everyone kind of stuck their noses up at.  The only place he feels like he belongs is at home with his mother and sisters.  They are the only ones who know what he is really like, and well, so did _him_ ; his best friend since childbirth that moved away a couple years ago.

  Louis was never picked on like this before, when his best friend had been around at the time.  It was almost him and Louis against the world, the two boys everyone loved.  They were the ones to charm the pants off both girls and boys, and they were the ones to make everyone laugh with their crazy pranks.

  But Louis will always remember the day his best friend came running to his house in tears and exclaiming how he was being forced to move away because of his mother's work.  and louis will always remember that night where harry was laying fast asleep tucked right up against louis, and louis was dying to whisper three little words that would have changed everything, but he couldn't and knew he never would because there is not a single person he believes is even worthy of those three little words coming from him.

  Louis is startled form his reverie with the sound of his mother knocking on his bedroom door and smiling down at her son while she walks towards him and sits down on the edge of his bed.

  "So Lou, it has been decided that since the headmaster and the policemen have looked over the schools camera tapes, the boys are being put on parole." she said, smiling and brushing at Louis' fringe.  "But we have decided to move as well, we're leaving for London, and before you start protesting," Louis shut his mouth and frowned.  "This’ll be better for not only you, but for me as well.  I can start working at a much better hospital which pays remarkably well."

  Louis looked at his mother, studying her face before nodding slowly and smiling.


	2. Chapter 2

_“Leave all your love and your longing behind.  You can’t carry it with you if you want to survive.”_

Chapter Two

  Louis is standing in the middle of his new room, his eyes roaming around the large space; boxes stacked high and his bed an absolute mess.  It’s been a week since the big move, but Louis has not even bothered unpacking any of his boxes except for a couple which has his clothes in.  It’s just, to him, this does not feel like home to him, no secret broken boards in the pack of his closet where he was able to crawl into and hide for a remarkable amount of time on bad days, or a tree house that him and his best friend spent hours in pretending to be on a pirate ship or hiding from bad guys.

  Louis hates this, hates how he had to leave everything behind because of a couple idiots.  It’s not fair, that all his childhood memories and experiences are three hours away, never to be revisited again.

  He also feels so drained.  Ever since the final incident, he has just been feeling absolutely horrible.  His bruises are starting to yellow around his face and his head does not hurt as much anymore, but his ribs, they were cracked horrible and it still hurts to lift his arms.  Sometimes, he just wishes that a bone shard had snapped off and pierced his heart, ending his life in a messy pool of internal bleeding.  He wants to die, to completely disappear from this life, but he knows he never could do that.  He cannot even bring himself to hurt himself either because he _knows_ his mother would find out in some way, and he could not do that to them.  Louis could never bring it upon himself to hurt his mother and the girls worse than what he already has.

  Louis sighs and walks over to his bed, not looking forward to school in a couple days.  If anything, he’s just scared that the same thing is going to happen and he really does not want that.  Louis is a strange kid, always has been.  When he is home, he is always a different person than he is at school.  Louis was a very outspoken boy, always so chipper.  But everything was an act ever since the day he was pushed into a locker and the sound of boys erupting into laughter sounded around him.

  It was horrible because Louis had absolutely no idea what to even do with himself when it started.  He was not use to it and it’s not like he ever did it himself or seen someone being bullied.  This _bullying_ atmosphere which came charging into Louis’ life at full tilt was crazy.   The kids were so mean, yelling out hateful homophobic words and asking where his boyfriend _Harry_ is and if the finally left Louis.  They were just so cruel and to top it off with a punch to the gut or a kick to the shin.  He has no idea what he even _did_ to deserve this.

  Louis finally managed to lower himself on the bed without disturbing his chest and laid down on his back, looking up with a couple tears streaking down his face at the past memories.  He hated this, all this reminiscing, but he knew this was something that would happen and he knew it is going to be hard to forget his painful past, but he hopes – just like his mother says – that it will slowly begin to disappear until nothing will stick anymore; and he cannot wait.

  He is worming his blanket up and covering up to his torso when his mother knocks on his door and walks in, a soft sigh escaping her lips at the sight of the pinched look on her son’s face just trying to pull up his own blanket.  She walked over and stopped her son to help pull the blanket up herself before leaning over and placing a gentle kiss to his bruised face.

  “Why didn’t you ever tell me baby?”  Jay whispered and ran her fingers through Louis’ hair.  Louis averted his eyes to a small dent in the wall, just a minor bump when moving.

  “I didn’t want to worry you mama.”  Louis murmured before looking back to his mother who sat with tears in her eyes as she studied her sons face.  A choked sob escaped her throat as she watched him, wondering herself when everything went wrong.

  “Just remember my sweet boy that things are going to be different now, okay?  And if you have any problems anymore, you come to me.”  Louis sighed and nodded against his mother’s hand, nuzzling against the comfort.

  The two weaved into a comforting silence, Jay running her fingers through Louis’ hair while Louis lays limp and focusing all his attention on controlling his breathing so he does not hurt himself.  They are not disturbed for a little while, that is until the two can hear Louis’ sisters shouting at one another downstairs that Jay stands and presses one last kiss to Louis’ forehead.  She is up and across the room in a second, but stops at the doorway and turns to look back at Louis.

  “I ran into Anne the other day, y’know, Harry’s mum?”  Louis nodded slowly even though his body began to feel numb again.  He remembers Anne, all too well.  The woman was like a second mother to him, always there whenever he needed her and she was a wonderful baker too.  She would always have a plate full of freshly baked cookies on the counter for him and Harry when she knew Louis was coming over after school.  She was a wonderful person, and so was Harry.  But she met a man and she got a job offer, and everything happened too fast.  Louis misses Anne‘s lovely laugh and the way she could make him much happier when Harry was busy at the bakery.  A lot of people joked with Louis that he had a crush on the older woman, but nothing even compared to that.  This older woman was another role model to him, someone who taught him things his mother couldn’t.  He did not have a crush on her, she was basically his _other mother_ , and Louis was absolutely lucky to have had both her and Harry in his life,

  “She looked wonderful, and she also asked about you.  Told her you were doing fine…”  Jay sighed and rocked on her feet, and Louis knew Anne probably did not change much; she had always been a lovely lady.   “She told me to tell you hi and that Harry misses you more than you think.”

  Louis waits for her to leave before she bursts into another round of tears, his hands trembling against the blanket, hoping his bed would simply swallow him up, because _fuck_ – he really misses Harry too.  Louis misses his best friend to no extent.  He wishes every day that he would be able to see Harry again, that cheery curly haired that had Louis falling deeper and deeper in love with him each passing day.  It was remarkable, how well and how _close_ these two boys had gotten.  But it was beautiful.

  When Louis finally manages to calm himself down, he rolls onto his side, grunting and breathing heavily for a moment before calming down.  His right arm is laid out, supporting his head and all he can see is the paper airplane tattoo, stark black, and quite noticeable against his smooth and tanned skin.  And all Louis can wonder is if Harry still has that same paper airplane necklace he had given the younger boy all those years ago when he came barreling into the room in an absolute fit of tears when he found out he was leaving.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thoughts?


	3. Chapter 3

_“And I’ve been a fool and I’ve been blind.  I can never leave that past behind.”_

Chapter Three

    Harry is only halfway to school when his phone beeps, a simple text from one of his friends stating that a new kid is walking the halls.  It’s nothing that he would bother caring about, but ever since his mother was talking to Robin in hushed whispers about something like, ‘ _I saw Jay Tomlinson the other day in Tesco’s_ ’ before she stopped talking when acknowledging Harry’s presence.

  Harry always wished, the one day he would see his childhood best friend again, but he let that hope go a long time ago.   Who honestly knows though, there could be family business that could be going on with Jay that involves her being in London for.  Harry has known to not get his hopes up because it will only cause him pain and suffering, something he has managed to push far back and has hardly worried about since the initial move back then.

  But god, Harry likes to imagine things sometimes.  He has come up with about two dozen different scenarios of what would happen if he ever ran into _him_ again; everyone more unrealistic than the next.  He was a fool back then and now, he does not remember any of the scenarios anymore.  They were silly and absolutely childish, and Harry is more mature than he is now.  He was crazy, honestly, and he tries to forget them because they were embarrassing.

  Harry is pulling up into the school and barely out of his car before his friends Zayn and Liam are already up and at his side.  Both boys are quiet but they seem to be scanning the crowd and Harry completely understands.  The boys are looking for the new kid, clearly only scouting him when Harry was not there but lost him to find their friend.

  “You said there was a new kid?”  Harry asked, adjusting his bag a little, the weight seeming a little off.

  “Yeah, he was a strange little thing.”  Zayn announced his hands buried deep within his pockets.  “His face looked bruised and he seemed to have a couple bandages on his arm and torso – you can see the wrappings pocking from beneath his shirt collar.”

  Harry nodded along but he was hardly listening.  He was trying to image Louis, what the boy would look like now and if he would look anything like he did back then.  Harry could feel Liam’s eyes on him and not too long after, Zayn’s as well, but he chose to ignore them as they entered the school and headed right for Harry’s locker, him needing to empty and then put in his respected books for the morning classes.

  “You alright there Harry, did something happen?”  Liam asked a little while later, his shoulder pressed to the row of lockers on Harry’s right.

  Harry simply shrugged before closing the locker.  “I’m alright, just a restless sleep last night.”  He replied and took a step back, but was suddenly jerked to the side as his body came in contact with someone.

  The person Harry collided with cried out in pain and stumbled to the side, his books falling to the ground a loud jumble.  The boy sank to his knees mumbling sorry about half a dozen times while he went to retrieve his belongings.  However, as Harry went to help, he froze at the sight of the boy’s arm were a very blatant tattoo stood out and stared right at Harry.  The curly haired lad’s eyes widen and he had absolutely no idea of what to even do.  Harry’s heart began to beat faster and he could hardly regulate his breathing.  He could not believe it, after all this time and honestly, without that tattoo Harry probably would not have recognized the godly beautiful boy.

  Harry watched as Louis picked up his final book and stood to his feet, a hand clutching his chest and Harry instantly wanted to ask if he was alright.  But Louis, he finally stood and looked over to Harry.  Harry could hear his breath hitch as his eyes scanned over the much taller lad until they locked with a certain necklace dangling from around Harry’s neck.  Really, Harry completely forgot about that necklace.  He wore it far too much that the thing just permanently stayed around Harry’s neck – it has never been taken off.  Harry was really just too scared of losing it.

  Harry opened and closed his mouth like a fish gasping for air, but he could not formulate a proper sentence.  Out of all his different scenarios that he was quite positive that would eventually play out and he had all these things written down to what he would say if he ever saw Louis again, but now nothing came to mind, he was completely in the dark.

  Louis’ eyes remained trained directly on the necklace, as if he could not believe it, but the bell above rang loudly and he could not be late for class on his first day.  He looked up to _him_ , curiosity running through him as he finally took a good look at Harry.

  “Well shit.”  Harry announced, but Louis was too surprised, too stunned that he simply shook his head and took off down the hallway.  Harry wanted to call after him, but it did not seem right.  He simply sighed and turned back around to face his two friends he completely forgot were even there.  The two looked just as shocked and surprised as Harry did, for their friend nearly had a _moment_ with the new kid.

  “Fuck, that kid is weird.”  Zayn stated before walking off towards his first class.

  Harry wanted to say something, really anything to tell Zayn off, but he knew that no matter what was going to happen today, Louis was going to get pinned as something he could or could not be and nothing was going to stop the student population and there was not anything he could really do.  The kids were going to think what they wanted and even when Harry first moved to London, he was also the really weird kid who was too tall and too clumsy for his own good.

  Harry finally has his senses back a little while later and he can faintly make out Liam asking him if he plans on going to any of his classes at all today.  Harry just nods and trails after Liam, wondering where his childhood friend could have gone and what had even happened to him that caused him to be so closed off and purple and wincing in pain from bruises.


	4. Chapter Four

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For how short this is does not make up for the time you all had to wait for chapter four.

_“They say they know what I can feel, and time will find a way to heal, but right now, time is not enough.”_

Chapter Four

  Louis was breathing heavy and hard by the time he managed to get to class, his nerves coursing through him on full power.  He could hardly believe it, seeing harry and seeing how _good_ he looks.  Everything about the boy made Louis’ heart race just a little more and his breathing to become irregular once again – however, Louis knew it was not going to be that easy again, to just fall into another close friendship like they did all those years ago.

  Louis found a seat somewhere in the middle, his head tilted down and the anxiety beginning to settle in as the previous events played through his head.  All the ways Harry looked at him when they collided, how it took just a couple seconds for Harry to realize who he actually was.

  But the pain that coursed through him scared him so much, because even though he is so happy to see Harry once again after all this time, there is just someone so unsettling about Harry being _back_.

  Louis’ day always starts off with history, a class he actually always seemed to like – especially when the teacher introduces the ancient times.

  So as Louis maneuvered himself through the rows of desks within the rather large room, he finds himself settling beside a skinny girl who actually was not sitting there doing the stereotypical white girl actions; no nail polish out, mirror to fix her makeup – this girl is sitting there with all her work out and seemingly ready for the class to start.

  Louis sits himself beside the girl who offers him a gentle smile that he does not hesitate to give back.

  “Hi, haven’t seen you around here before, I’m guessing you’re new?”  She inquires which has Louis nodding, actually taking part in the conversation in interest, not like he usually does where he shies away as best as possible.

  “Yeah, just moved here a week or so ago, first day here.”  He replies.

  The girl nods before sticking out her hand for Louis to take.  “My names Perrie, school prime minster – I’m the eyes and ears of this joint, however, don’t be so afraid, it’s really not that bad here.  If you want, I can show you around?”

  Without hesitating, Louis nods.  “That’s actually really great because it took me a while to find this room.”  He laughs before taking the girls nimble hand.  “I’m Louis.”

  “It’s lovely to meet you Louis.”  And before Louis has a chance to reply, the teacher is talking into the room, announcing for the class to settle down before going down the roster to see who is present.

  So unlike all the high school movies, however, when the teacher asks for Louis, the man just simply gives him a brief welcome before continuing on.

  The rest of the class is sat in silence as the teacher starts his lesson, which Louis quickly drowns out.  All he has on his mind is the fact that Harry is _here_ and he has no idea what he is even going to do about that because he cannot even tell him why he has transferred schools in the first place.  Louis is fucked.

  Once the bell finally sounded, ending this period, Louis got up and made to pack his things up before a hand was on his wrist stopping him.

  “What class do you have next?  I can show you there if you’d like?”  Perrie asked, her own stuff already packed in away, her bag slung over her shoulder.

  Louis smiled gratefully before putting his stuff into his bag and following the girl out.

  As they walked through the halls all Louis could feel where the people looking at him, staring and evaluating him as the fresh new meat.  Honestly though, Louis does not understand why people are so focused on him because there are probably many new people that show up to the school every year, but Louis _knows_ it’s because he is the new kid that show up so suddenly with bandages wrapped all around him.  He knows he is already deemed as the weird kid.

  Perrie is walking just a little ahead of him, but quickly comes to a stop when he runs directly into her back.  Tumbling backwards a little, he realizes that she has come to a stop and for the reasons that she is being wrapped in a hug by a boy Louis saw with Harry earlier.

  Louis stands off to the side to give the couple moment privacy, adverting his eyes elsewhere.  It’s not until Louis hears his name being called that he looks back up to see Perrie and the other boy looking directly at him.

  “Zayn, this is Louis, Louis, and Zayn.”  Perrie announces, as she looks between both the boys, and nudging Zayn when he says nothing.

  “Yeah, hey, saw you earlier did I not?”  He asks, which Louis can tell is him not being rude, but surprisingly shy.

  Louis nods to this, still not uttering a word.  The three of them sort of stand there for a moment before Zayn announces his depart.  “Well, it was lovely meeting you Louis, but I got to get to class.”

  Perrie turns to Zayn and mumbles something to him before she gives him a quick peck on the lips and taking Louis’ hand and pulling him down the hall to his next class.

  “Come on Louis, let’s get you to your next class and then afterwards I can meet up with you once more and show you to your next?”  Louis gave Perrie a smile and nodded, feeling rather safe with this girl.  Never had Louis thought that making a friend would be so easy and even if this girl did not see him as one, he certainly did.


End file.
